The stork comes calling
by jibbsloversunited
Summary: Gibbs .. and a baby. A Jibbs AU by elflordsmistress.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:**

ME Wofford thinks I'm broody. She may be right. Either way, here is my attempt at _babyfic_. I anticipate a little bit of angst, because I can't see a baby just falling into Gibbs' lap – but not too much, and the sweet moments should make the angst pale in comparison. At least that's the plan. Hope you enjoy it.

* * *

"His secretary says he is attending a _Lamaze_ class?" Ziva said as she looked up from the phone.

"It's a method that reinforces the ideas that women's inner wisdom guides them through birth, that the birthing experience has long-lasting effects on family life, and that childbirth education empowers women to make informed choices about their own health care," McGee rattled off from his station.

"Whoa ..." said Tony, angling his head to look at his colleague. "That's quite a mouthful. Anything you wanna share?"

"No," said McGee with a slight look of shock. "It says so right here on this ... ohhhh ..."

"What?"

The other two encroached on his territory. Tony took one look at the video playing and then looked at Ziva.

"Glad I'm not having any babies," was all he said.

"Are you alright McGee?" she asked instead.

"Yeah. That's ..."

"A lot of blood. You got a problem with blood, probie?"

"Not at crime scenes," he said. "But I'm not sure I'd survive seeing someone I love going through _this_."

He eyed the video through half-closed eyes.

"I do not understand why women in labour are always shown screaming or holding their partner's hand in a death grip. I am sure I will be silent."

Tony leaned forward.

"I bet you'll break the doctor's neck with your ankles as he .."

"Hey!" Gibbs shouted as he walked up to them. "Got an address?"

"He is attending a Lamaze class at Sibley Memorial," Ziva replied.

"McGee, Di Nozzo .. lets go" he said. "Ziva – I want you waiting in one of conference room when we return. Lets all remember – he is not a suspect, but he does have information we need. We'll assume the pregnant wife is coming as well, so make sure the room isn't too cold or too hot and make sure you pick one close to the restroom. And find her something to raise her feet."

"Like what?" Ziva asked, somewhat flummoxed.

Gibbs spared her an irritated glance.

"I don't care, David. Get a box from the evidence locker, ask Abby, just make sure it's there. You two waiting for a slap upside the head? Lets go!"

McGee exchanged a wary look with Tony and then took off after him.

* * *

Tony popped his head around the door.

"Hi. Can I help you?" the petite instructress asked.

"Um ... just wondering how much longer the class is going to last?"

"I booked the room last week. They can't seriously have messed up again," she said. Looking round at all the people in the room who were already muttering under their breath.

"Nothing like that," he replied. "Just need to have a word with one of your ... guests."

He stepped close to her and flashed his badge discreetly.

The instructress looked at her watch and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Lets take five, people," she said without alerting them to Tony's identity.

Tony gave her the thumbs up sign and sought out the man in question. He conversed with him for a while and then pulled out his cell phone.

"Boss, " he said as he moved into a far corner. "Class will be over in about twenty minutes. He's asking us not to pull him. Says the wife's kinda upset about the whole thing."

"Okay," Gibbs replied. "Stay with him. I'm going to get coffee. Be back in twenty."

Tony closed his phone and turned back to the man.

"We'll wait," he said with a smile.

The instructress made her way over to him a moment later.

"Can I carry on?" she asked.

"Sure can," Tony said, taking in her appearance with a smile. "I just need to hang around though. Hope that's not going to be a problem?"

"Not at all," she said as she flashed him a smile. "Actually ... do you think I could impose on you, once you're staying?"

Tony looked at her quizzically.

"There are a few women who have no partners tonight. Do you think you could help out?"

Tony looked round the room.

"How many?" he asked, a devilish grin breaking out over his face.

"Two. Maybe you can at least practice with one of them?"

"I can do you one better. My colleague's outside. I'm sure he'd love to help."

"Great. I'd appreciate it," she said, touching his arm in a way that didn't escape Tony.

"Glad to help. Maybe you can make it up to me sometime?"

"Be happy to," she said as she sashayed away.

Tony pulled the door open.

"McGee," he hissed. "Get in here."

Five minutes later they were on their hands and knees practicing swaying their hips around alongside two very heavily pregnant women.

"Husbands, and significant others," the instructress said to the class, "enjoy the motion now. You probably haven't had that much action recently."

Laughter echoed round the room and Tony shot McGee a grin.

"He he," he whispered.

McGee just rolled his eyes.

The instructress moved to the next step.

"Now that you're all loosened up, lets practice that _angry cat_ pose."

McGee smiled at his partner and waited patiently for her to get in position. When she did, his eyes almost popped out of his head.

"McGee!" Tony called. He stared at him for a moment, until he followed the path his eyes had taken. He had a hard time containing his laughter.

"What?"

McGee's redheaded partner turned round and saw the look on his face.

"You have a ... um ..." McGee started, using his finger to point at what had caught his attention.

She looked down at her yoga pants for a moment, and then she sucked in a breath.

"Oh my God," she said, plonking herself heavily down on her bottom and clasping a hand to her mouth. She started to laugh uncontrollably after a while, and McGee couldn't tell if it was the embarassment or whether she really thought it was funny that she had a gaping hole in the seat of her pants.

"Jenny – are you alright?" the instructress said, stopping at her side and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine" the redhead said. "Just traumatising the young man over here. Sorry .." she said, placing a hand on his.

McGee blushed furiously and lowered his head.

"Please don't be embarassed," she said. "I'm embarassed enough for both of us."

He raised his eyes to hers and was struck by how intense they were. She smiled reassuringly at him and patted his hand again.

"I don't think I have embarassing holes anywhere else," she said with a snort. "At least I hope not."

"Okay," the instructress said. "Now I want you to face each other. Look deeply into each other's eyes, take deep breaths, and then let them out with a groan."

"She can't be serious," Jen whispered to McGee with a slight chuckle.

"I think she is" he replied, feeling only slightly less uneasy.

His partner watched as he positioned himself in front of her and looked into her eyes.

"You have pretty eyes," she said - trying to ease the tension.

McGee blushed again.

"Okay, come on ... lets be serious."

She gazed deep into his eyes and took in a deep breath. The mischief in her eyes was plain to see, but she still managed to take him by surprise.

"Mooooo" she said in deep voice – before she fell over laughing.

Tony looked over at them and gesticulated.

"_What the hell are you doing?" _he mouthed at him.

McGee shrugged and looked at Jenny, who was holding out her hand and asking to be righted. The sound of gentle moaning filled the air, and a quick look round told him that everyone else was taking things seriously. Even Tony was caught up in the moment. By the time he turned back around she was struggling to get to her feet.

"I need the restroom," she said. "I can't laugh without needing to pee these days. And that was a good laugh. Actually ..." she looked at her watch. "I think I'm going to call it a night. I live close by, and I think I can wait till I get home. Have a bit of a phobia about peeing in public places."

She accepted his hand and raised herself to her feet. She shrugged on her coat and waved at the instructress as she walked out the door, McGee on her heels.

"What are you doing?" she asked as he got into the elevator with her.

"Seeing you to your car," he said with a smile. "Got another ten minutes to kill anyway."

She stuck out her hand as the doors slid closed.

"Jenny Shepard," she said.

"Timothy McGee," he replied with a handshake of her own.

"Thanks for helping out," she said gently. "It's kinda tough being in there on my own usually."

"My pleasure."

The elevator doors slid open at foyer level to reveal Gibbs standing there, coffee cup in hand.

"Going somewhere, McGee?" he asked.

"No, actually, I was just ..."

"Uh-huh," Gibbs said as he stepped aside for Jen to get out.

Jenny smiled at him and then gave McGee a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks again. I like the name Timmy. I might call the baby that if it's a boy."

"Bye," he said, raising his hand as Gibbs stepped in next to him.

The doors were just sliding closed when they heard her call out.

"I think I left my car keys up there," she said with a huff as she got back into the car. "I swear you lose a million brain cells when you're pregnant."

She looked at Gibbs and smiled, and then elbowed Tim in the ribs.

"Is it like a rule or something where you guys work? You all have such pretty eyes."

Tim was looking at his feet and blushing again when she gripped his arm.

"Timmy ..." she said.

His eyes cut to hers, and then followed her line of vision. Water was pooling at her feet. And his.

She stared at him with wide eyes for a few seconds and watched as he looked at Gibbs.

"At least we're

in the right place" the older agent said with a bit of a smile.

"Owwww" she said suddenly.

"What?"

"Contraction" she said calmly. "I've been having them on and off all day, but .."

Whatever she had been about to say died in her throat as the lights flickered and they were plunged into darkness.

"This can't be good," she said.

"When was your last contraction?" Gibbs asked suddenly.

"They were coming every twenty minutes or so. I think."

"You _think_?"

"Yes. But that one was definitely harder, and it's been less than twenty minutes."

"Under five?"

"I think so," she said hesitantly.

"McGee," he said slowly. "Check whether you have service on your phone. Call 911 and tell them we have a woman in labour. We need to get out of there. Now."


	2. Chapter 2

"Boss ... they're on their way" McGee said as he closed his phone and leaned his head back against the wall of the elevator.

He looked as though he was going to pass out at any minute, and Gibbs had to suppress a smile.

"You okay, Timmy?" Jen asked in concern.

"Yeah" he said with difficulty.

"Is it the smell of the amniotic fluid?" she asked.

"Think so" he replied, not wanting to add that it was more the sight of the bloody water.

Jen followed his gaze as best she could.

"Does that look a little bit too red to you?" she asked Gibbs, anxiety in her voice.

"Can't tell" he said. "Carpet's a bit dark."

"Oww" Jenny said, doubling up a little and curling her fingers into the lapel of his jacket. "Sorry" she said when the wave had passed.

"I need to sit down. I think" she said, as she started to slide downwards.

Gibbs slithered down and pulled her back against his chest, her hand firmly in his.

"Maybe not" she groaned, trying to rise to her feet.

Gibbs helped her stand and let her bury her face into his jacket when another contraction hit her.

"Maybe I should ask your name before I slobber all over your jacket again" she said with a small smile when you raised her head.

Gibbs smiled.

"Jethro" he said.

"There's less and less time between them isn't there?" she asked when she caught him looking at his watch a few contractions later.

"Now would be a good time for me to call the baby's father" Gibbs said "if you want to have him here for the birth."

Jen shook her head sadly.

"Father's a marine" she said.

People usually stopped asking once she said _marine. _She'd come to the conclusion that it was because they were afraid of what more there was to the story in these turbulent times. But apparently this man wasn't going to be one of those.

"Deployed?" Gibbs asked, rubbing her back and her neck as she rode out another wave.

Jen shook her head. Pain ricocheted through her, and suddenly her situation caught up with her. The fact that she was alone, having to depend on total strangers for support, and about to give birth. She was tired of sidestepping the issue and pretending everything was alright.

"Met him in Guam last year."

"Uh-huh."

"In a bar."

That brought his head up, but he recognised her need to talk, and figured that she probably didn't do enough of it. He wondered for a moment if talking would distract her from the pain, and he did something he ordinarily wouldn't have done. He got personal.

"What happened?"

"We ended up in bed. Halfway through the night his wife called."

"I take it you didn't know?"

Jenny shook her head.

"He was devastated. Showed me her picture. She was young, had red hair, was pregnant."

"God ..." she mumbled as her teeth clenched around one of his lapels.

Gibbs ran his hand through her hair.

"Breathe" he said. "As shallow as you can."

She cracked an eye open.

"So what happened then?" he asked, fending off the question about how much experience he had.

"He'd obviously been missing her, hadn't intended things to get that far. When I found out I was pregnant I could have found him and let him know. But what would have been the point? It would only have caused complications. Another marriage on the rocks. One more family hurt. I'll be fine. I alwa-"

He held her through another violent contraction.

"I think this baby's coming soon. You ever delivered a baby before?"

"Nope."

"Me neither" she said. "We'd make a fine pai -"

She trailed off and buried her face into his chest again.

He felt her fingers curl around his shirt.

"Something's wrong" she said.

"Nothing's wrong ..." he assured her.

She raised eyes full of pain to his.

"If anything happens .."

"Nothing's gonna happen" he said. "People have babies all the time."

"In elevators?"

She smiled through the lull.

The elevator shuddered slightly.

"Looks like we're not gonna make it onto the eleven o'clock news. We're being winched up."

Jenny braced for another contraction.

It was a only a few moments before they heard the grating of metal on metal.

"It's okay – you're gonna be fine" said an orderly as they pried the elevator doors open. "We've advised them over at _labour and delivery_. They're waiting for you."

Gibbs helped raise her onto the gurney and saw her hand reach for his as they started to wheel her away.

"Don't leave me."

Gibbs spared one look at McGee who was still looking pasty but there was little time for words before he was swept away.

"Are you the husband?" a woman enquired as they reached the ward.

Gibbs looked once at Jenny and saw her nod.

"Yes" he lied.

"Contractions?" she asked.

"Under one minute" he said.

The woman smiled and patted Jenny's arm.

"Then I think we need to get this show on the road"  
she said.

"I need to push" Jen said as another wave of of pain hit her.

"Not till I've checked you out" the woman said as they entered a birthing room.

"I need to push" Jenny insisted as they transferred her onto a bed. "And I don't want to give birth on my back. I want gravity to help."

But the contractions didn't let up, and there wasn't a chance for her to get up again.

She gritted her teeth against the onslaught.

"You're right" the midwife said with a smile a few moments later. "This is going to be fast. You need to push. Anytime you're ready."

She grabbed Gibbs by the hand as he made to move up to Jenny's head.

"View's better from over here" she said, keeping him by her side. "Come on Jenny. Baby's almost here. I need two, maybe three really big pushes from you. And we'll be done."

Jenny pushed. Hard. Once. And then once more.

"See .. the baby's crowning" the midwife pointed out to Gibbs. "Give me one last push Jenny. The head's right here" the midwife as she pressed down on her perinuem.

Jen's eyes cut to Gibbs', and he smiled and nodded at her.

"Just one. Come on Jen .."

Jen bit down on her lower lip and strained one last time. She smiled tiredly as she felt the baby break free of her body.

"It's a girl" the midwife gushed with a wide smile on her face.

And then she looked up at Gibbs.

"Would you like to cut the cord, daddy?" she offered.

He hadn't been expecting the emotion that rushed through him as he did – even though he should have expected it. He'd felt the same awe when Kelly had been born. But Kelly had been his and that was normal. This child wasn't and yet the awe and the overwhelming desire to protect were as fierce as they had been the moment he'd first set eyes on his own child. And it didn't diminish when the baby was placed in his arms.

"You did good, Jen. She's beautiful" he said as he moved to place her on her mother's chest.

"Cold .." Jen mumbled as she raised her arms.

She faltered just as he was placing the baby into them.

"Jenny?" he called as her eyes fluttered for a moment and then seemed to roll back into her head. "Something's wrong" he shouted to the nurse.

Before he could as much as blink someone relieved him of the child, and he found himself relocated to a corner of the room while they attended to what was very clearly an emergency. He snapped out of his stupor almost immediately, determined to make his presence felt just as surely as he would have if she had been his significant other.

"What's going on?" he demanded as a doctor entered the room and instructions started flying about.

The doctor raised his hand at him as he supervised the nurses.

"Baby?"

He looked round.

"She seems to be fine" the midwife said from the baby station.

"Keep monitoring her. What does her birth plan say?" he asked as one of the nurses flipped through a folder with Jen's information on it.

"Nothing beyond the delivery" she said anxiously.

The doctor took the folder from her and ran through it himself, familiarising himself with the few details available to him. "Prep her for surgery. Mr ... Shepard?" he said, finally acknowledging Gibbs as he motioned for him to follow him outside.

Gibbs followed.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

The doctor ran a hand across his face, not slowing down as they followed the gurney to the operating theatre.

"After the delivery, the uterus continues to contract until it expels the placenta. After the delivery of the placenta, the uterine contractions help to compress the bleeding vessels at the region where the placenta was connected. In this case it seems there were no proper uterine contractions, so the blood vessels remained free to bleed. I don't have enough time to pull up her records so I need to know from you what kind of a pregnancy it's been. Did she have hypertension? High blood pressure? Especially lately. Did she have any sharp pains that weren't looked into?"

He took in Gibbs' frozen look.

"Anything?"

He shook his head minutely and Gibbs could see him battle frustration and concern.

"I think there might have been placental abruption" the doctor continued. "The haemhorrage is significant. A lot more than I'm comfortable with. Look .. " he said, putting his hand on Gibbs' "I know you're scared but I need to go in there and see what's going on. I may have to do ligation of the uterus. I may have to do a hysterectomy. It depends on what I find. If I do any one of those things there could be repercussions on your wife's fertility. But if I don't do this and the drugs don't work she could bleed to death. I need your permission to -"

Gibbs felt the weight of the decision press down on his shoulders. Not what he had signed up for, and yet he was almost sure that Jenny would choose this over the alternative. Especially knowing what he knew.

"Do it" he said.

The doctor nodded curtly and disappeared into the operating theatre.

The doctor nodded curtly and disappeared into the operating theatre.

Gibbs stood there staring after him for what seemed like an eternity. After a while he felt someone at his side.

"Mr. Shepard ..."

The midwife stood there.

"I know that you want to be here when the doctor comes out, so I've arranged for you to use this room right here."

She indicated a room a few feet down the corridor.

"Jenny will go into recovery after the surgery, but the doctor will come and talk to you here. I'll bring the baby from the nursery. I think perhaps you might like to hold her? It will be the best thing for her right now. Possibly for you too."

Gibbs stared at her for a moment as the implications started to pile up and hit home. But there was nothing to be done.

Stunned by the empathy in her eyes, he nodded. And followed.

"How are you holding up?" the midwife asked as he stood by the window and looked out.

His eyes cut to hers and the empathy took him by surprise again.

When he didn't answer, the woman smiled.

"I'll bring your daughter" she said quietly before retreating.

Gibbs looked out of the window one more time before pulling out his cell phone. He placed a call to Tony and ascertained that everything was moving as it should be. He'd barely hung up when the door opened again and the midwife was back, wheeling a transparent box in front of her.

"Had you already chosen a name?" she asked as she unwrapped the infant and stripped her down to her diaper.

Gibbs shook his head and stared as the midwife hefted the child and held her out to him.

"You may want to take off your shirt" she said.

Gibbs looked at her in confusion.

"I'd like you to try _skin to skin_. We try to encourage fathers to do it even when there are no complications" she explained. "Studies have shown that a father can soothe his newborn as effectively as a mother, and more effectively than if the baby is placed in a crib during the first two hours after birth if the mother is absent."

She placed the baby against his bare chest and watched as he wrapped his hands around her.

"You're a natural" she said, her tone warm.

"Skin to skin contact between a father and baby also facilitates the newborn's _pre-feeding behaviour_ of seeking the breast within the first hours of life." she said with a smile. "So don't be surprised if she goes for a breast. The development of inborn nursing reflexes, such as mouth movements and rooting, is similar to that of infants that are skin-to-skin with the mother. Don't discourage her. It will prepare for the first breastfeeding when she's reunited with her mother."

Her smile grew wider when Gibbs shot her a bemused look.

"You'll be fine" she said, patting him on the arm.

She caressed the child's head briefly and then smiled at Gibbs again.

"I'll leave you two to get acquainted" she said.

And then she was gone.

Gibbs looked down at the little bundle at his chest, and mimicked the midwife's movements. It felt instinctive to drop the tiniest of kisses to her small head as he cuddled her and stroked her skin.

"Your mama's gonna be fine" he whispered to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Gibbs was brushing another kiss to the baby's head and talking to her softly when he became aware of a presence in the room.

"Mr. Shepard .."

He turned from the window and came face to face with the doctor. He didn't need to register the sombre look to know that his gut had been right. Something was seriously wrong.

"She's in the intensive care unit" the doctor said without preamble – not failing to notice that Gibbs' reaction was to tighten his hold on the child. "I'm trying to get to the bottom of things, but there was a complication that I hadn't anticipated. There seems to be a disruption in the blood's ability to clot. It's a serious condition, because once the clotting mechanisms of the blood have been disrupted, it is difficult to get them working again."

"Is she bleeding out, Doc?" Gibbs asked, his eyes boring into the doctor's.

"Yes" the doctor said simply. "Do you know if there's history of something known as _disseminated intravascular coagulation_ in her family?"

Gibbs shook his head.

"I'll look into her chart. In the meantime I've started her on a plasma transfusion to replace the blood clotting factors."

"Can I see her?" Gibbs asked.

"You can. I'll have a nurse come and take the baby to the nursery. If she has family, now would be the time to call them."

When Gibbs stared blankly at him, the doctor nodded.

"I'll have the head nurse take care of it. You should go and sit with your wife."

"How bad is it?" Gibbs asked as the doctor turned on his heel.

The doctor paused in the doorway. The look he gave him said it all. Gibbs exhaled deeply against the side of the infant's head and dropped another kiss onto it. He didn't open his eyes until the nurse came back into the room.

"We don't have many babies" she said gently as she pried the child from his arms, "so I'll be able to hold her. Don't worry about her. She'll be fine with me."

Gibbs looked over her shoulder as she started to swaddle the little girl. When he'd observed her for a while and was satisfied that she'd done a good job, he nodded and headed out the door.

"That's quite a protective daddy you have there" the nurse said to the baby as she stroked her cheek. "Bet he doesn't let you out of the house till you're thirty."

______________________________________________________________

Gibbs walked down into ICU slowly - not sure what to expect, not sure what to do.

Jenny Shepard?" he asked as he approached the nurse's station.

"Mr. Shepard?" a male orderly said as he approached him from behind. "Come with me. I'm going to have to ask you to switch off your cell phone" he said as he led the way to Jenny's room.

Gibbs stared at her lying on the hospital bed. She looked so tiny, somehow. So fragile. He sat on the chair that the orderly pulled up to the side of the bed.

"In and out" the man said, understanding the look that he shot him.

"She's perfect, Jen" he said as he leaned forward. "They have her in the nursery and -"

He trailed off when he realised that there was not very much he could say to her. He didn't know enough about her to say anything meaningful, and yet it seemed wrong to sit there and do nothing. It wasn't something he knew how to do. After a while leaned forward, took one of her hands tentatively into his, and ran his index finger down its length gently. Repetitively. Somewhere in the back of his mind it occurred to him that he might be taking comfort rather than giving it. But it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was the conenction. Letting Jenny know that she wasn't alone, and convincing himself that being in her life and the baby's right now was where he needed to be. He was very aware that he'd shouldered a responsibility that wasn't his to shoulder, but what was most unsettling to him was the way he'd seamlessly assumed the role of husband and father. He told himself that someone had to look out for Jenny – especially knowing what he knew. And he'd made her a promise.

A promise that he intended to keep.

______________________________________________________________

A nurse in the _Labour & Delivery_ ward stared expectantly at the person who placed a large package on the station.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"We'd like to see the Gibblet" Abby announced.

"Who?" the nurse asked in confusion.

"Baby Gibbs" Abby clarified, rocking on the balls of her feet as she looked around the area with keen eyes.

"We have no Baby Gibbs" the nurse said, double checking on her computer to make sure.

Abby's face fell.

"You can't not have a Baby Gibbs, because Timmy called me and said that ..."

Then her hands flew to her mouth and her eyes filled with tears.

"Did something happen to the baby?" she asked, afraid of the answer.

"Are you sure you have the right hospital?" the nurse asked, intrigued by the young woman.

"Well Timmy called and said that Jenny went into labour in the elevator and then ..."

"Oh you mean the Shepard baby" the nurse said as her face lit up with a sad smile.

"You could have waited ..." an irate voice said.

"I wanted to see the baby first" Abby said.

Tony rolled his eyes at her and then smiled at the nurse.

"We're here to see the .."

"Shepard baby" the nurse finished for him.

"Where's Gibbs?" McGee asked as he, too, arrived. With Ziva in tow.

"Anybody else?" the nurse asked, going a little wide-eyed.

"Just me" Ducky said as he tipped his hat at her.

The nurse rose from her seat and came round, her face solemn.

"Jenny's been taken to the ICU. Her husband is with her."

Tony practically choked on his own saliva at the mention of the word 'husband'.

"You mean ... Gibbs?" Ziva asked, earning herself an elbowing in the ribs.

"He's tall, silver hair .."

"That's him" McGee said.

"What's the matter with .. Jenny?" Ducky asked, responding to the gravity of the situation.

"Are you related to Jenny or her husband?" the nurse asked instead.

"I'm his .. son" Tony said quickly, knowing that they might not get any information otherwise.

"I'm his sister" Abby nodded at Di Nozzo. "Half sister" she added when the nurse's eyes widened.

The nurse's eyes travelled to McGee.

"I'm Jenny's ... brother-in-law. From a previous marriage" he added hastily, struggling to come up with something credible

"And I'm his ... fiancee" Ziva said, grabbing McGee's arm.

The nurse looked from one to the other, and then her eyes settled on Ducky.

"Yes. I'm ... "

"Ducky!"

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Gibbs appeared, and the nurse, too, was glad of his arrival.

"I'll have someone bring the baby from the nursery" she said with a smile as she turned away.

Gibbs nodded and led the way to the room that had been assigned to them.

"What's going on Jethro?" Ducky asked as soon as the door had closed behind them.

Gibbs made short work of filling him in with what he knew.

"Are they considering Heparin?" Ducky asked, his brow creasing in concern.

"I don't know. All I know is that they're giving her some kind of transfusion. Plasma something?"

Ducky nodded.

A slight tap on the door indicated that the baby had arrived, and Abby squealed the moment she set eyes on her.

"Can I hold her?" she asked, her fingers itching to run over baby skin as the nurse unswaddled her.

"Later, Abs" Gibbs said as he took over from the nurse and held her close as soon as she had been stripped.

"Awww Gibbs .. that's so sweet" she said as she watched him cuddle the baby for a long moment, and then hold her up for everyone to admire.

"Does she have a name?" Ducky asked as he placed a kiss to her tiny fingers.

"Not yet."

"Are you taking suggestions?" Abby asked excitedly.

"No" Gibbs said firmly, before turning to Ducky.

"Think you can charm the head nurse into letting you see her file?"

Ducky smiled.

"I think that can be arranged" the medical examiner said. "Looking for anything in particular?"

"Her mother's second name" Gibbs replied.

"Ah" Ducky said with a smile as he headed for the door. "Shan't be long."

Tony peered closely at the baby.

"She has your eyes, Boss" he joked.

The fact that Gibbs was holding an infant in no way prevented him from slapping him upside the head.

"Most babies have blue eyes at birth Tony" Ziva said. "She is very beautiful though, Gibbs."

"And we come bearing gifts" McGee said with a smile, as he producing an elaborately-wrapped package from a bag he was carrying, and dangled it in front of the baby.

The others held up packages of their own, and for a moment Gibbs had no idea what to say to them.

Ducky slipped back into the room just as Abby was about to tear into the wrapping on Tony's gift.

"It's perfect", Abby said when Ducky announced the name. "Big Jenny and little Genny. Now can I hold her Gibbs?"

"After you've opened the gifts" he said – and she didn't need to be a rocket scientist to tell that he wasn't going to relinquish his hold on the child anytime soon.

They were halfway through the gifts when Gibbs' cell phone went off. He refused an offer to hand the baby over before answering, and merely held her to his chest with one hand as he took the call.

"On my way" he said after a few moments.

When he snapped the phone shut his face was dark.

"Jethro?" Ducky asked warily.

"The case has blown wide open" he said irately. "I have to go back to NCIS for a while."

He looked at the child in his arms before handing her reluctantly over to Ducky. He pointed his finger at the baby and then at him – the message crystal clear.

"I'll be back as soon as I can" he said. "Ziva, you're with me. Need your language skills."

He lingered for a moment, before caressing the baby's head and stalking from the room.

Abby waited a few moments, and then she snuck up to Ducky and held out her arms.

"Not a chance" he said. "Jethro's instruction were very clear."

Abby sulked.

She was still sulking an hour and a half later when there was a knock on the door and a nurse put her head round it.

Everyone looked up as a older man entered the room. His eyes widened when his eyes fell on Ducky and the baby. He'd sat with his daughter for the better part of an hour, unable to understand why the husband everyone kept mentioning wasn't by her side. But he'd been assured that his son-in-law was with his baby, and now he was here – about to meet his grandchild – and a man this age was not what he was expecting.

"Are you Jenny's father?" Ducky asked, walking over to him slowly and holding out the baby.

The man nodded.

"I'm Jasper" he said. "Jasper Shepard."

He held out his arms and took the child from Ducky.

"What's her name?" he asked as he stared at her in awe.

"Imogen."

This time the emotion didn't remain in check. Jasper Shepard's eyes filled with tears as he looked up at Ducky.

"Jenny's mother was called Imogen" he said.


	4. Chapter 4

"He is lying, Gibbs" Ziva said as she stepped into observation after an hourlong interrogation.

"I know" he replied, his eyes still on the man in the other room. "And he knows you know."

"Has there been any more communication with Fallujah?"

"On my way up to MTAC to do that now" Gibbs said, turning to go.

"Director, Agent Gibbs" a sombre voice greeted them via the plasma a few minutes later. "What've you got for me?"

"Nothing good" Gibbs replied.

The Commanding Officer listened in silence, his face hardening as the story unfolded.

"Are you tellin' me that Corporal Whitman _wasn't_ taken by insurgents?"

"We're telling you that the video of Corporal Whitman was most probably a hoax, Sir."

"He involved?"

"Up to his eyeballs."

"Sonafabitch. Did he desert?"

"We're still looking into that. But there is evidence that he has communicated with his brother-in-law since he disappeared."

"His _brother-in-law_?"

"Aswar Fahrid. Moved to the United States ten years ago after getting a green card through the _Diversity Visa_ lottery" Gibbs said. "He married Whitman's sister four years a-."

"Sir" a tech interrupted, "the Bahrain field office is standing by."

The Director nodded, and watched the screen split into two.

"Tell me you have good news for me" he said to the man at the other end of the transmission.

"We just got word from one of our agents in Lebanon. We have Whitman in custody, Sir."

"Did you hear that, Major?"

"That's five hundred miles and two countries away" the commanding officer said with a shake of his head.

"We'll get back to to you when we know more" the Director said.

"Appreciate it" the other man replied before the transmission went dead.

"I will go back and talk to Fahrid" Ziva said when both men in the room turned to face her. "He knows a lot more than he is willing to say."

"Keep me posted" Gibbs said to her as soon as they were standing outside the assessment centre.

"Will you be at the hospital?"

"Yeah. Call me when you've got something."

____________________________________________

"You know that looks a little ... droopy" Abby said, angling her head. "Does it look droopy to you, McGee?"

"Um ... I don't know" he said as crouched down next to her and looked at the baby's diaper.

"Wrong answer. What do _you_ think?" she asked Jasper.

"That you want to hold the baby" he replied with a small smile as he handed her over.

"Hold her _head_, Abigail" Ducky huffed, looking worriedly at the door as though he expected Gibbs to walk through it at any moment.

"There's nothing here, Abs" McGee said as he looked all round the room for diapers.

"Anyone as far along as Jenny was would have a hospital bag. In her car perhaps" Ducky suggested.

"I need to stretch my legs a bit" Jasper said. "I'll walk around the parking garage and see if I can find her car."

"She had a bag with her in the elevator" McGee said. "I gave it to the people who pulled us out. I'll see if the nursery has it. She said she'd been having contractions so maybe that's it."

"I need to stretch my legs anyway" Jasper said. "Ducky .. can I offer you a coffee?"

The medical examiner rose to his feet. Not wanting to be impolite but reluctant to disregard Gibbs' wishes. However, common courtesy prevailed.

"Be careful you two" he whispered before leaving the room.

"Are you _sure_ she needs a change?" Tony asked as as they had left the room. He peered over her shoulder, his face already wrinkling.

"Diapers are changed regularly, Tony" she replied with a laugh. Now I don't know if you're ready for this, because it might upset your delicate sensibilities ..

"I'll stop you."

"If we can't determine whether she needs a change from the appearance of the diaper, we may need to do _the finger test_" she said dramatically.

"Okay, you can stop" Tony said, covering his face with his hand. "Please tell me you don't mean what I think you mean" he added after a moment.

"I don't mean it" she said, "but my uncle Freddy used to do it with cousin Heff. In fact, there was this one time ..."

"Enough already."

"Well we still have to check" Abby said as she raised the baby's thigh and slowly edged the diaper away from it.

"And?"

"This baby _definitely_ needs a change" she said.

"Uh ... guys ..." McGee said as he slipped back into the room.

"Did they have the bag?"

"Yes, but .."

"But what?" Abby asked as she held her hands out. "Why are you handing me towels?"

"They aren't towels."

"Then what are they?"

"Apparently they're called _prefolds_."

"Cloth diapers" Abby said, her face lighting up. "You're gonna be a _green baby_" she cooed at Imogen.

"Question is how do we put them on?"

"Why can't the nurses do this?" Tony piped up.

"The hospital uses disposable diapers" Tim replied. "If you want your child in cloth you have to do it yourself."

"She's already wearing a disposable. Why can't she wear another one?"

"Tony .." Abby said in a horrified tone. "This is what her mother wanted ... _wants_ for her. We'll figure it out. How hard can it be to figure out the mechanics of a cloth diaper? What else is in the bag, McGee?"

"A bunch of these" he said pulling out some y-shaped pieces of plastic, lots more of those _prefold_ things, a bunch of _these_ ..."

"They're _embroidered_" Tony said.

"Which by definition means they are meant to be seen and must go on the outside" Abby said as she took two from McGee and turned them over in her hand. "Do you like _this one_ or _this one_?" she asked as she held first one and then the other close to the baby's face. "Monkey or elephant? Neither? Okay .. pirate ship? Pirate ship. My sentiments exactly."

She turned back to the other two.

"Are you waiting for an invitation? Take your jackets off."

"What?"

"_What_ what? We're doing this together. Are there wipes in the bag McGee?"

"No. But there are plenty of these .." he said as he held out wash cloths.

"Okay, so take a few and make them wet" she said indicating a sink in the corner.

McGee nodded and did so as Abby turned to the infant and pulled the fasteners on her disposable diaper apart.

"Whoa .. that can't be normal" Tony said as he took in the green-black tarry looking substance stuck to the baby's bottom.

"Actually it is" McGee said taking a quick peek. "The nurse said it's called _meconium_. She'll have it for a day or two she said."

"Roll up your sleeves" Abby said to Tony.

"What? Why?" he asked.

"You need to hold her legs up."

He did as he was told and took the baby's crossed ankles gingerly into his hands.

"Watch her neck" Abby snapped as the baby's body rose abruptly off the changer.

"_You_ hold them."

"I can't hold them and clean her up. It's stuck to her. Here McGee ... wash this off."

McGee felt his stomach heave as she passed him a soiled piece of cloth.

"Steady probie" Tony said with a chuckle "It's just baby poo."

"Tell that to my stomach."

"Steady probie's stomach."

"It isn't helping."

"And this isn't working" Abby said in frustration. "We need to try this another way."

"What other way?" Tony asked, not sure he wanted to know the alternative.

"Like this" Abby said as she lifted the baby from the changer and handed her over to Tony.

"Hey .." he said.

"Don't drop her" she warned as took another moistened washcloth and rubbed the baby's bottom with it. "There's just one spot here that I .."

The sound of water making contact with a surface made Tony's head snap up.

"Tell me she didn't" he said.

"Afraid she did Di Nozzo" Gibbs said as he walked through the door and relieved him of the infant.

"These Ferragamos cost five hundred dollars, Boss" Tony whined.

"Be happy it wasn't the other stuff" Gibbs retorted. "Pee washes out. The other stuff doesn't."

He held out his hand to Abby. When she handed over a prefold he raised his eyebrows. He placed it down and studied it for a moment - turning it first one way and then the other before handing the baby back to Abby, and making the material edges meet in the middle. Pulling small flaps out of the top after a bit more thought.

"It's like origami" Abby breathed happily

"I was thinking more .. paper plane" he said as he placed the baby atop the material and wrapped her firmly in it. "There pins or something?"

"These" she replied, passing along one of the pieces of plastic.

Gibbs made quick work of securing it to the fabric and putting the cover over everything, snapping everything into place with finality.

"There anything for her to wear?" he asked.

"There are some snappy things and a few pairs of wool pants" McGee said as he poked about in the bag.

When he'd finished dressing her Gibbs held her to his chest.

"You ready to go?" he asked.

"Where's she going?" Abby asked as he headed for the door.

"To meet her mother."

_________________________________

**Author's note:**

I am sorry this story doesn't get updated often, especially since I know that there were quite a few people following it. But please be patient with me. This is a really hard story for me to write. It's just not my thing and I am _totally_ out of my element and struggling here. Oh, and I should also mention that I am not poking fun at cloth diapers by any means. I fully intend to cloth diaper my next baby.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note:**

For **Pretty Crazy**. Erm .. sorry about the delay. You all know how hard it is for me to write this.

* * *

"Post-delivery, Jenny developed disseminated intravascular coagulation. _DIC_ ."

Gibbs felt his eyes start to glaze over as he tried to focus on what the doctor was saying. His eyes kept straying to the glass panelling between Jenny's room and the corridor, even if all he could see between the shoulders of the medical staff was a swathe of red hair.

"The rapid loss of blood was secondary to the failure of the muscles of her uterus to contract after your daughter was born," the doctor droned on. "We did try Ergometerine and some other meds to stimulate the uterine muscles, but our attempts to stop the bleeding were unsuccessful and it became necessary to surgically intervene to save her life. I am sorry, but we did have to proceed with the hysterectomy."

Gibbs' head snapped back at that.

"We _have _given her four units of blood and her last haemoglobin was stable. We will, however, need to watch her closely for the next twenty-four hours for signs of bleeding. We will, of course, check her blood work to be sure that her clotting factors have normalized. She still may be at risk for a blood clot or other complications."

Gibbs nodded. Unbidden, his thoughts reverted back to Kelly's birth again. It had been a long but uncomplicated labour, and they'd been sent home after two days. He and Shannon had transitioned into parenthood together; every inch the proud but inexperienced parents. Looking down at the child in his arms he felt a fierce wave of protectiveness in her regard as he realised just how close she'd come to becoming another statistic in this sea of sterility. He tightened his grip on her as the doctor started to speak again.

"It's been an ordeal, but you do have a healthy baby girl. Encourage her to interact with the baby as much as she can. She'll be tired, but it will be good for both your wife and your daughter to bond. I'm on my way in to speak with her now, although I do have to say I don't want to burden her with too many details at this point."

All the weight that had settled on Gibbs' shoulders lifted the moment he walked into the room. Jenny's eyes ran over him once and then settled on her daughter. Her eyes widened and lit up – making the pain and exhaustion lining her face dissipate. Clearly the nurses had prepared her for the baby's arrival, because she was propped up and looking alert. She smiled at Gibbs as he placed the child in the crook of her arm, and ran a finger delicately over her features.

As she looked down at her daughter the sense of awe at what she'd borne clashed with the feeling of ownership and responsibility, and for a moment fear that she wouldn't be able to go the distance alone threatened to overwhelm her. Out of the corner of her eye she caught the concerned expression on the doctor's face, and suddenly fear of a different kind reared its ugly head.

"Is she .." she began.

"She's fine, Jen," Gibbs said as he caressed the baby's head.

"The baby's strong and healthy," the doctor said, "but you gave us quite the scare after the delivery. The muscles in your uterus refused to contract and continued to bleed. You were losing more blood and we did have to do surgery. We'll have you on the mend soon and ready to take care of that little one, though."

"Surgery?"

The doctor shifted his gaze from Jenny to Jethro and then back to Jenny before ploughing on.

"We'll talk about all of that later. The important thing now is that you're doing much better. And I know this young lady has been asking for her mother."

On cue, Imogen yawned and grasped Jen's finger.

"I'll leave you to get to know each other. If you have any questions have any of the nurses page me," the doctor said as he turned to leave. "Unusual name by the way. Haven't heard that one in a long time."

Jen looked at Gibbs as soon as the doctor had gone.

"You _named_ her?"

There was no anger in her voice, only curiosity.

"It was touch and go for a while there, Jen," Gibbs said as he shuffled his feet. "I didn't want her to be called Baby Shepard."

"Dare I ask what you chose?" she asked with a tired smile.

"Imogen."

The tears she'd been holding at bay came tumbling down her cheeks as she pulled the baby up and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"My mother was called Imogen," she mumbled against her soft skin. When she looked at Jethro her smile was more pronounced, although no less tired. "You did good."

"So did you," he replied with a smile of his own as he looked fondly at both of them and laid his hand on the baby's head again.

The moment of bonding between the three of them stretched until a nurse walked into the room.

"Ready to try breastfeeding her?" she asked with a broad smile on her face.

Jen's eyes widened again as the woman showed her how to hold the baby.

"We just need to stimulate reflex for both of you and get things moving. How tired are you feeling?"

"Not very."

The nurse looked her up and down.

"Mr. Shepard ..." she said, after she'd looked appraisingly at Jen for a long moment and drawn her gown down, "maybe you can sit on one side and help?"

She exchanged a meaningful look with Gibbs; one he understood immediately. He perched on the side of the bed. Following the nurse's cues, he put an arm around Jen's shoulders and watched, mesmerised, as the baby very clearly began rooting for a breast.

"You don't have any milk yet," the nurse explained, "but you do have colostrum. It's full of calories and antibodies and helps to build the baby's immune system. It isn't produced in big quantities, but your baby's tummy is only about the size of a walnut anyway. Your milk should come in around day three. When that happens your breasts may feel warm and hard because they're really full. But that should settle down once feeding is established."

Jenny nodded and focused on the way the woman was encouraging the baby to latch on.

"In this hospital we like to encourage the _breastfeeding triad_," the nurse continued. "Mother, baby, and father. Although you can't feed the baby," she said to Gibbs, "your support and encouragement can help make the early learning period of breastfeeding easier and more enjoyable for mother and baby. She smiled approvingly as she took in the way Gibbs was rubbing Jen's shoulders.

He watched as the baby struggled, and felt Jenny tense beneath this fingertips.

"This isn't working," she said in frustration, and obviously near tears again.

"It will," the nurse said sympathetically. "You just need to keep at it."

Unexpectedly Gibbs bristled; his thoughts on Shannon trying unsuccessfully to breastfeed Kelly. He remembered the two months of self-recrimination and tears, and the well-meaning but totally misguided people who'd told her it would work if only she tried harder. It was possible that Jen would fall into the 2-5% bracket of women who couldn't breastfeed for one reason or another, as Shannon had done. He found himself resenting the nurse's tone already - even if he was sure she was just trying to be encouraging – and settled for giving her a death glare.

"We'll try again after you've rested," he said, softening his tone as he applied gentle pressure to Jenny's shoulder.

Daring the nurse to argue.

She didn't.

Jenny chewed on her lower lip and nodded. Raising her head as someone tapped on the door.

"Mrs. Shepard," an orderly said, "your father is in the waiting room. He can come in for a few minutes if you like."

Gibbs felt a different type of tension altogether grip Jenny as she took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"Don't go anywhere," she said without looking up at him.

Gibbs shifted a bit closer to her on the bed.

* * *

Donald Mallard had enough experience to know when people needed to talk, and the man sitting beside him was a prime candidate. The waiting room for the intensive care unit was full of sombre and tight-lipped people, and he was feeding off the tension in the room.

"I haven't spoken to her in over six months," Jasper Shepard said with difficulty when the medical examiner continued to look at him.

"Perhaps this will be a way to move forward," Ducky offered gently. "It's amazing what babies can do."

"Perhaps."

"There's something else ..." Ducky surmised.

Jasper paused for a moment before asking, "What kind of a man is he?"

"Jethro?" Ducky's face creased into a small sad smile. "I think you'll have to ask your dau-"

He was saved from having to put him off by a nurse popping her head round the door.

"Family of Jenny Shepard?"

"Here." Jasper rose expectantly from his seat. "Can I see her?"

"Her husband and baby are with her, but you can have a few minutes."

* * *

Jenny tugged at the waistband of the baby's woollen pants and her eyes lit up in appreciation.

"How did you convince them to put the diaper on her?"

Gibbs smirked.

"You put it on _yourself_?" When he nodded she placed a hand on his as it lay idly on his knee, and squeezed it. "Thank you, Jethro."

He angled his head and was about to say something when the door opened again. Instinctively responding to the military air around the man, Gibbs stood – although his handed rested on Jenny's nearest shoulder. For a moment the tension was palpable. And then it faded abruptly as Jasper smiled.

"It's good to meet you, son," he said slowly.

"Sir," Gibbs acknowledged.

"Jenny," her father said as he moved closer and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

The silence stretched between them until Jasper broke it.

"You named her after your mother," he said as he looked lovingly down at the baby in her arms.

"Jethro named her," she said simply, with a smile in the man's direction.

"The man has good taste," Jasper said as he watched Gibbs settle back onto the bed.

They were all staring at each other, unsure what to say, when there was another tap at the door.

"Mr. Shepard .." a nurse said as she entered.

"Yes?" Jasper turned round.

The nurse looked confused for a moment, and then addressed Gibbs.

"There's someone called Anthony on the line. He says he needs to speak to you urgently."

Gibbs nodded and got to his feet.

"Be right back," he said to Jen. Nodding at Jasper on his way out of the room.

The atmosphere in the room shifted fractionally the moment he was gone. The silence stretched again, as Jenny fussed with the baby and Jasper weighed his words very carefully.

"I can hear you thinking," Jen said after a while. "Spit it out before it gags you."

"Who is he, Jenny?" Jasper asked. Careful to keep his tone neutral as he recognised the hostility in hers.

She'd just opened her mouth to reply when Gibbs walked back into the room, his face dark.

"I've been called back to work," he said as he hovered at the side of the bed, clearly reluctant to leave.

"It's alright, Jethro," Jen replied.

But it wasn't. He didn't want to leave. He hesitated for a moment. Feeling Jasper's eyes on him, and oddly unsure how to handle the departure under the scrutiny of an audience. His eyes locked with Jen's, asking the question he was uncomfortable asking out loud.

"We'll be fine," she said with a gentle smile.

She sounded a lot more tired now, Gibbs realised all of a sudden, and he wondered briefly what had been said in his absence.

"You need to get some rest," a voice said. He wasn't surprised when he felt the presence of the nurse in the room with them again. "Visiting time is over for now," she said to Jasper. "You can come back in a few hours if there are no complications."

"What about the baby?" Jen asked.

"She should go back to the nursery. We'll bring her in again after you've rested."

Jasper smiled and extended his arms.

"I'll ta-"

"_I'll_ take her."

Imogen turned her head towards the sound of Gibbs' voice and another wave of protectiveness swept over him.

"Get some rest," he said to Jenny as he lifted the baby from her arms and held her to him. "I'll be back as soon as I can."


	6. Chapter 6

"Does she look like anyone on your side?" Jasper asked as he and Ducky stood side by side watching the baby through the nursery window.

"Can't say that she does."

The medical examiner had no doubt what the real question was, but he waited until the other man was ready to verbalise it.

It didn't take very long.

"Jethro isn't really your son, is he?"

"No," Ducky said after careful consideration.

"Then wha -"

He trailed off as a phone started to ring.

"Excuse me .." Ducky said as he walked out of the maternity ward to take the call. When he returned he had a sombre look on his face.

"Trouble?"

"Work, I'm afraid."

"It was good to meet you, Ducky." Jasper held out his hand.

"Likewise."

* * *

_**Three hours later …**_

"You didn't think I'd figure it out?"

Jen was instantly grateful that she'd had the nurse take the baby to the nursery because she knew this tone of voice too well.

"I didn't go out of my way to deceive you, dad," she replied. Knowing exactly what he was referring to.

"So am I going to have to guess who he is or are you going to keep his identity a secret too?"

"I don't _know_ who he is."

Jasper's eyes widened. "_You don't know who he is?_ What did you do? Pick him off the street?"

"All I know is that his name is Jethro Gibbs. He was stuck in the elevator with me when my waters broke. He came through for me."

"You could have called _me_."

A small hiss of air bypassed Jenny's teeth.

"You trusted a stranger before you trusted family."

The accusation annoyed her. She'd heard it far too many times throughout her life, and she wasn't ready to keep hearing it now that her life status had changed.

"He was there, dad. You weren't. End of story."

"He made decisions on your behalf, Jenny. Important decisions. Decisions he had no right to make."

Her eyes filled with tears for a moment as she remembered what those decisions were going to mean. But she knew they had been the only decisions that could have been made, she didn't have the energy to argue, and she wasn't about to show any kind of weakness in front of her father either.

"I trust Jethro."

"You trust a man you don't know anythin - ..."

"Dad … either stop or leave."

"I only want -"

"What's best for me. I know. And at the moment what's best for me is not to have you angry at me for something that was beyond my control. Jethro was in the right place at the right time. He helped me when I needed help, and that's all there is to it."

Jasper looked as though he wasn't quite ready to let it go, but the sound of a door being flung open made his head snap round.

"Mrs. Shepard ..." The orderly looked somewhat harried and Jen's senses kicked into high alert.

"Is something wrong with Imogen?"

* * *

_**Six hours after that …**_

Jethro rotated his neck, and realised that he hadn't had a cup of coffee in far too long. Things were at an impasse, the Director had been called out for a phone call of a personal nature, and he needed to stretch his legs. Signalling to one of the techs that he'd be back, he slipped out of MTAC.

He was more than a little surprised to find everyone in the bullpen standing around the plasma tv instead of working, but it wasn't till he got to the bottom of the stairs and saw Abby and Ducky present that the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

"Duck?"

His voice was terse, and the good doctor realised he had no idea what had happened in the few hours he'd been holed up in the threat assessment centre.

"Bomb scare at Sibley Memorial a few hours ago," he started to explain as Gibbs rummaged in his drawer and pulled out his gun and his credentials. "ZNN thinks the target may have been a Supreme Court Judge visiti – Jethro ..."

But Gibbs had simply pushed past him and was heading for the elevators.

He'd barely been gone a few minutes when the Director leaned over the upstairs railing.

"Where's Agent Gibbs?"

"Coffee run," Tony lied swiftly.

"Tell him we're expecting Fallujah on the line in twenty."

"Yes Sir."

Tony waited till the Director had disappeared into MTAC and then looked pointedly at McGee.

"Call him."

* * *

_**Sibley Memorial Hospital**_

Whatever the real story was, the hospital staff were being allowed to return and things were slowly getting back to normal. He'd had no trouble getting into the building, but he knew the moment he set eyes on the woman at the ICU nursing station that he was going to get nowhere with her.

"I'm sorry, Sir," she said resolutely as she compared the name on his badge to the records on her computer screen. "You are not on Ms. Shepard's contact list. Federal agent or not, I cannot tell you which hospital she's been taken to."

Gibbs felt anger rise, but before he could reply his phone rang. He'd ignored half a dozen calls from every member of his team in the past half an hour, but one look at the display told him it wasn't a caller he could ignore. Not with all that was going on.

"Gibbs. On my way back, Director."

He snapped the phone back shut and wheeled round to continue the conversation. Only to discover that the nurse had left the station and he was standing alone in a deserted corridor.

Not quite sure what to do with himself, he took a few steps to the room Jenny had previously occupied - and stepped inside.

All the signs that the room had been evacuated in hurry were there, but it was the sight of blankets trailing the ground which made his chest constrict. He knew she was fine; that she and the baby were being looked after somewhere. But it wasn't enough to stop him from feeling bereft – and that took him as much by surprise as the connection he'd felt to the child. And her mother, if wanted to be completely honest with himself.

His cell phone rang again, and this time he answered without looking at it.

"On my way, Abs."

He tried not to focus on the emptiness as he walked out of the hospital.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Admittedly, this is a short chapter after such a long delay. But the good news is that I'm already working on the next part The only reason I'm stopping here is because all the action in this chapter happens within the space of a few hours. The next part opens a few days later. It just didn't go well together. I also apologise if you had to go back and read the entire story before reading today's installment. I promise I'll get the story wrapped up soon.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Three weeks later ..**_

_**0330**_

_The cries intensified as he ran down the corridor, but room after room was a sea of cribs filled with faceless infants. The panic surge intensified as he realised he wasn't sure he remembered what she looked like, and he picked up the pace slightly; battering the last door down when it wouldn't open. There was something familiar about the crib in the middle of the room, and he approached with trepidation._

_Kelly looked up at him and gurgled softly, but as he reached out to touch her she morphed slowly but surely into another child. A child whose features were less defined, but who he knew to be Imogen. For a moment she lay there placidly – and then suddenly she stopped breathing and turned back into Kelly. Lying there motionless. And completely still._

Gibbs woke with a start; perspiration beading every part of his body as he gasped for breath. He scrubbed a hand across his face as he looked at the time – trying to figure out how often he'd had this dream over the past few nights. Struggling against what it might mean. Sleep, elusive at best, was gone, so he got out of bed and trudged slowly to the kitchen. Busying himself with making coffee while his brain fixated on whether Imogen's car seat had been installed properly.

He'd fully intended to track Jenny down to whichever hospital she'd been taken to, at first. To make sure that she was fine; that the baby was fine. But work had kept him busy, and as the day had come to an end he'd been assailed by doubts about whether she'd want to see him – especially after finding out what decisions he'd made on her behalf. The days had stretched into weeks but he hadn't realised until a few days ago that he was paralysed by his fear.

And that's when the nightmare had become a permanent fixture.

He looked at the clock in the kitchen as he poured his coffee – wondering whether Jenny and the baby were asleep or whether it was feeding time. Wishing he could see them. Part of him argued that if Jenny had wanted to see him she'd have found a way to track him down by now. The other part reminded him mercilessly that Jenny was a single mother with a newborn to look after.

He was hardly going to be on her list of priorities.

* * *

_**Shepard Residence, Georgetown**_

_**0840**_

"How's my girl?"

"You know, dad, I'm your girl too," Jenny said with a smile as her father walked into the kitchen and took the baby from her.

"But this one doesn't talk back," Jasper said as he held his grand daughter in the crook of his arm and admired her.

"Yet."

Jasper chuckled and pressed a kiss to Jenny's temple before asking, "get any sleep?"

"A little." She looked at the clock. "I wasn't expecting you this early."

"She was restless when I left last night. Thought you might have had a rough one." He looked closely at her. "You didn't get any sleep at all, did you?"

"Not really," she admitted. "I keep waking up to check if she's breathing. She makes all these … _noises_."

Jasper chuckled again.

"Your mother and I did that for the first few weeks of your life, too. Till the doctor told us it was the surest way to go stir crazy. Go get some rest. I'll be here."

"You'll be okay?"

Jasper laughed heartily.

"Get some sleep, Jenny."

"Dad …." She turned back as she reached the doorway. "Did you manage to find out anything about Jethro?"

"Yes."

Jenny felt a small bubble of excitement well up inside her – but it only lasted until she realised that her father's expression had turned sombre.

"What is it?"

She retraced her steps slowly until she was standing in front of him. Taking Imogen back as he pulled a piece of paper from his wallet and placed it on the counter.

Jasper placed his hand over the slip just as she reached for it.

"He's had a lot of loss, Jenny. Lost his first wife and his daughter while he was on active duty."

"Accident?" Somewhere deep inside she knew it was a lot more complicated than that, and although she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer, she couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Murder," he said gently. "He was serving in the Gulf when it happened. His wife, Shannon, was set to testify against a drug dealer accused of murder. An agent was assigned to protect her, but he was ... shot. Mother and daughter were in the car with him." He trailed off as he saw emotion rise in his daughter's eyes.

"You said first wife."

"He's had three more since."

"Did he have any other children after her?"

"No."

Jenny swallowed around a lump in her throat. Images of Jethro in the elevator, in the labour and delivery ward, and then with Imogen, flashing through her mind. Just the thought of what she must have put him through, of what it must have cost him to be thrust into role of father and husband with no warning, made her feel sick to her stomach even as it made tears spring to her eyes. Looking down at her daughter she couldn't fathom what it must feel like to lose a child. Or your entire family in one fell swoop.

"What was his daughter's name?"

"Kelly," Jasper said softly. Watching as she held the baby a little tighter. "I just though you should know before calling."

"I won't be calling him." Her voice sounded small and on the verge of breaking as she walked from the room holding the baby tightly to her - but she knew she was making the right decision.

The only decision she _could_ make.

Jasper watched her walk away and nodded grimly to himself as he crumpled the piece of paper and dropped it into the trash can. Although he'd pretty much known Jenny would react like this he couldn't help but feel sorry. For his daughter, because she'd clearly connected with the man in question, but more so for Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

* * *

**_Five days later_**

**_Autopsy suite_**

"Observe, Mr. Palmer, that in the first wound the killer's knife penetrated the clavicle just above the second rib and went on to pierce the upper lobe of the left lung. In the second wound the knife slipped into the left pectoral muscle between the third and fourth – ah Jethro." The medical examiner looked up at the tell tale swish of the doors.

"Whatcha got, Duck?"

"As I was telling Mr. Palmer, the knife slid into the left pectoral muscle between the third and fourth ribs. From here it cut through the left ventricle of the heart and out again, eventually piercing the tenth thoracic-"

"Bottom line?"

Ducky's head snapped up.

"At the moment all I can tell you is that while the knife did little external damage to the chest surface, the organ damage was catastroph-"

"Cause of death?"

"Haemorrhaging. Although if you want me to be more techni-"

"I got it, Duck. Exsanguination."

"Jethro ..."

The man turned from the doorway, and Ducky took a moment to study his body language carefully. Jethro shifted from one foot to the other imperceptibly; almost as though there was somewhere else he needed to be. Even though Ducky knew that to be untrue.

"Would you excuse us for a moment, Mr. Palmer," he said slowly. "What's the matter, Jethro?" he asked when Jimmy had disappeared into the back room.

"Want answers, Duck."

"It's too early for answers."

"Then call me when you have some."

Ducky shook his head as Gibbs turned on his heel and left the room. He couldn't quite place a finger on what was bothering the younger man – but he was quite sure something was. He always bristled when a case needed solving; was always impatient. But there was an additional element to him recently.

Something was on his mind.

* * *

"Whatcha got, Abs?"

"I don't have anything for you yet, Gibbs," she said cheerfully. "You usually only show up when I actually _have_ something."

"Guess you won't be needing this then."

"Gibbs ..." Her eyes almost popped out of her head when he dropped a caf-pow into the trash and turned to go. She stared between the spilled drink and his retreating back. Knowing she had to make a decision quickly.

"I can find her, Gibbs."

He stopped in his tracks and turned round slowly; the fact that he didn't query who she meant by _her_ telling Abby she was dead on.

Her smile faded the moment she saw the stony look on his face and saw the word "_no_" form on his lips.

"But Gibbs ..."

"I said _no_, Abs."

She was still mulling over how short a fuse Gibbs was operating on when Ducky walked into the lab a short while later.

"I've preserved some of the maggots from the slit wounds on Petty Officer Jameson's face in an alcohol solution, but I've brought you some live ones for – are you burning sage?" He sniffed the air.

Abby was standing in the middle of her lab, clearing pondering something important.

"Gibbs brought bad mojo into the lab," she said slowly. "I'm worried about him, Ducky. He isn't himself. He trashed my caf-pow because I didn't have answers. He _never_ does things like that."

"To you, perhaps," the medical examiner said with a gentle smile.

"I offered to help and he shot me down."

"Offered to help?"

"Find Jenny and the baby."

"Of course." It all made perfect sense all of a sudden, and Ducky silently reprimanded himself for not having made the connection sooner.

"There's lots of places I can hack into and find her, but he said no."

"Perhaps he thinks it would be an invasion of her privacy."

Abby's shoulders drooped.

"I wish we could find out how she was doing. Then at least we could let him know she was okay."

The light bulb went off in Ducky's head even before she'd finished her sentence.

"Ducky ..." Abby whined as he turned to leave. "What are we going to do about Gibbs?"

The medical exmainer smiled broadly.

"Just as you suggest .. we're going to find out if Jenny and the baby are doing well."

"How are we going to do that without a conta – you _have_ a contact number ..." she breathed in amazement as she watched his eyes twinkle.

"_Trouble?"_

"_Work, I'm afraid."_

"_It was good to meet you, Ducky." Jasper held out his hand._

"_Likewise."_

_Jasper stared at him for a while – and then pulled a card from his wallet and handed it over._

_Ducky nodded his thanks and pocketed the card without a word._

"I'd forgotten all about it until now. I'll be back later my dear."

Abby's smile lit up the room.


	8. Chapter 8

_**The bullpen, two days later …**_

"McGee is not answering his cell phone, pager, or MySpace IM," Ziva informed Gibbs.

"McGee on MySpace," Tony chuckled. "I've got to see that."

"Keep calling." Gibbs sounded more irritated each time he spoke.

"Still trying to get into his calendar, Boss."

"You know, I'm not sure what the problem is. When I was framed by the Iranians for murder, I was late for many hours before anyone even noticed."

"You're not McGee, Ziva," Gibbs pointed out as he pushed back on his chair and stood up.

"McTimex's brain is hard-wired for punctuality. And, sadly, for scaring away potential mates. Here we go, Boss. No doctor or dentist appointments. Nothing, nada, zilch. He is supposed to pick up twenty shirts from the dry cleaners, but that isn't till this evening. _Twenty shir-_?"

The sound of a ringing phone stopped him short.

"Yeah, Gibbs," he said into it. "On my way, Duck. Keep callin'," he said to Tony and Ziva before he walked away.

As soon as he was sure Gibbs was gone, Tony dialled McGee's number, let it ring twice, hung up, and then dialled again.

"Game on, McSecret," was all he said when McGee answered. "Please tell me you didn't pick pink."

"Do you really think this is going to work?" Ziva asked a while later.

"You sound sceptical, my fine-feathered ninja."

"I am serious, Tony."

"I don't know."

"Gibbs will have your calzones," she said with a smug smile.

"It's _cojones_, Zee-vah. And thank you for the reminder."

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat; checking himself surreptitiously. Straightening a little when Gibbs reappeared.

"Found him yet?"

"_He_ found _me_, Boss. Sent me an email. _Woke up sick. Laryngitis. Won't be coming into work today_."

"Uh-huh."

"You know, I bet he sent you one as we – shutting up now."

"Good idea, DiNozzo. Going for coffee .." he said as he walked away again.

The elevator doors had barely closed behind him when Abby appeared.

"I'm on the verge of castration and you're smiling?" Tony said. "It isn't right. Wipe that smile off your face," he added irately.

"Stop being such a wuss!"

"A wuss?!?" Tony spluttered.

* * *

_**Forensics lab, several hours later ...**_

Ducky's face filled the video conferencing screen on Abby's phone.

"The shape and depth of the wounds suggest a ..."

"Combat knife," Gibbs supplied as he looked at the photos on the plasma screen.

"Precisely."

"They didn't find a knife, Gibbs," Abby said. "All they bagged was trash."

"Tell Di Nozzo to keep lookin'," he said as he turned to leave.

"Uh .. Tony went home."

"He went ... _home_?"

"He wasn't feeling well. Thought McGee might have gotten him sick."

"McGee didn't come into work today, Abs. At what time could he possibly have caught anything from him?"

"We're contagious before we actually get sick, Gibbs."

"Yeah. If you have chicken pox ..."

Abby shrugged, and Gibbs' eyes narrowed.

"I'm not done, Jethro," Ducky said from over the conference line.

"Make it fast, Duck."

"Post mortem lividity suggested that Petty Oficer Jameson was killed at the scene. Tox screen came back negative. No drugs in his system. Despite the catastrophic damage to the internal organs, the surface suffered no real damage."

"We knew this two days ago, Duck."

"And I have nothing new to add, I'm afraid. No scratches, no DNA under the fingernails. Not much to go on I'm afraid. My best guess would be that Petty Officer Jameson was surprised. "

"Or he knew his killer."

"Yes."

"Take it from the top, Duck."

"Mr. Palmer and I have been over the body twice in as many days, Jethro," the medical examiner protested. "With a fine tooth comb."

"Then go over it again. Maybe you missed something."

He ended the call before Ducky could argue, and pulled out his cell phone. Calls placed to Tony and McGee went unanswered, and he could feel Abby shifting restlessly nearby. There was something about the situation which was making his antennae twitch – but he couldn't quite place a finger on it.

"Triangulate their cell phones," he barked.

"Whose?" she asked innocently.

"You know damn well, Abs."

He could have sworn he saw a ghost of a smile traverse her features as she tapped her keyboard.

* * *

_**Shepard Residence, Georgetown – half an hour later**_

Tony swore under his breath.

"You _would_ choose the heaviest dresser this side of the Potomac .."

"I didn't choose anything," McGee snapped back. "I just picked it up. Had to rent an SUV to bring it here. It didn't fit in the Porsche."

"Save it, McWhiny." Tony made a dismissive sound in the back of this throat and let out a small huff. "Lets get it inside before it starts raining again."

"How are we going to get it inside?" McGee asked as they contemplated the entrance to Jenny's house before taking an end each.

"Usually helps if you open the door first," a voice behind them said.

Tony waited for the headslap which didn't come, and then deposited the keys into Gibbs' outstretched palm without a word.

"Bend your knees and squat before picking up," Gibbs whispered to McGee before he started up the steps. "Wouldn't wait you to strain those tonsils."

But he was smiling as he turned the key in the lock and opened the door as wide as it would go.

"Nursery's upstairs, Boss .." Tony called as they struggled up the front steps with the dresser.

Getting the piece upstairs was going to be fairly easy as jobs went, Gibbs realised; because the wide staircase in front of the door lent itself perfectly to the task. For a moment he contemplated assisting, but then stood back. Enjoying the look on Tony's face when he realised Gibbs wasn't going to help with the grunt work.

"I thought we agreed no pink!" he heard Tony say in disgust to McGee a short while later.

"And again, Tony, I didn't choose anything. I just picked it up. It's a surprise for Jenny. The agreement was that we'd put the furniture in here into the spare bedroom, paint the room, assemble the new crib and whatever else is in bags and boxes in the other room, and put the new dresser in. _Before they get back_."

"They get back when?" Gibbs asked as he looked over the paint stash.

"Christmas eve," McGee replied. "They're with friends in Maryland. So we have almost three days."

"Then you'd best get started."

"Boss, Jasper left the number for someone called Noemi. She's the housekeeper. Said to call her and have her come and clean up after we're done. You know, in case of pain splatter or ..." He trailed off when Gibbs gave him a withering look.

"McGee, call Ducky. Place needs a tree. Then call Abby. Have her pick up decorations and come set them up. Di Nozzo, get Ziva over here to help you strip the wallpaper."

"Boss?" McGee asked as Gibbs stared at the paint a moment longer and then started for the door.

"You forgot the primer, McGee."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Ellicott City, Maryland**_

_**7.30pm on December 23rd**_

"I don't know what else to do, Soph .." Jenny said as her friend slipped into the room.

She didn't stop pacing, and Sophie felt into step next to her as she walked around the large bedroom holding Imogen close.

"I guess she isn't hungry."

"No. And she's clean. I'm so sorry to have to put you through this .."

"Oh don't be silly. Babies are designed to eat, poop, cry, and sleep."

"I bet you can hear her all the way downstairs," Jenny said nervously. "Is your mother-in-law appalled?"

Sophie gave her a forced smile.

"She uh .. she went home."

"Because of us?" Jen wished the ground would open and swallow her up.

"She'll be back tomorrow. Don't worry about it."

"No, you know .. it's already the third night this week. It's been going on for two hours now, and it isn't going to stop anytime soon. I think I'm just going to take her home and let you get on with your family stuff."

"None of mine ever had colic, so I don't even know what to tell you. We could look it up online ..."

"I'll call the pediatrician's office again in the morning. I think we just have to tough it out. But that doesn't mean you. We'll just go home."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to feel like we're throwing you out."

"It's fine .." Jenny said as she started throwing things into a bag with her free hand.

Suddenly she couldn't wait to get out of there.

"I'll get Ross to pack your car."

"Thanks, Soph."

When she was gone Jenny looked down at her infant daughter. As she rocked and talked soothingly to her, she rubbed the hard distended little tummy. But nothing she did seemed to help. Every muscle in the child's body seemed to be tensed up, and the screams emanating from her blue lips were blood-curdling. Not for the first time Jenny wondered whether banshees sounded like this.

She tried not to think of the hour's drive ahead of her with an hysterical infant in the back seat.

* * *

_**Shepard Residence, Georgetown**_

_**9pm**_

"Señor Gibbs?"

His head whipped round.

Noemi stood in the doorway, holding a plate and a flask in her hands. She smiled as he stared quizzically at her. He was sure she hadn't been in the house when he'd arrived three hours earlier, and he hadn't heard her come in either.

"If you are going to be here all night again you need to eat."

It took him a moment to remember that she'd almost jumped out of her skin at six o'clock that morning when she'd walked into the kitchen to find him inspecting the plumbing under the sink.

She placed the plate on a nearby stool and held out the flask. "Coffee," she said with a knowing smile.

It took him a moment longer to realise that she'd come by on his account, and his murmured "thank you" seemed paltry somehow.

She nodded, and smiled as she looked round the nursery. "The baby will be happy in here."

When she'd gone he walked back into the room's tiny ensuite bathroom. His brow furrowed momentarily as he poured himself some coffee and stood contemplating the shower wall. He'd sent the team home hours earlier. McGee had proved particularly inept at painting, the sexual tension between Tony and Ziva had grated on his nerves, and he was sure Abby's take on the way the room should be decorated wouldn't go down well with Jasper. The man himself had shown up too. Had watched him in thoughtful silence, and then gone to dinner with Ducky.

* * *

_**9.30pm**_

Jenny slid down the door into a crumpled heap.

"Please stop crying," she begged of the baby in the car seat next to her on the floor. "_Please_."

A drive which should have taken fifty-five minutes had turned into a two hour nightmare due to snow and congestion on the roads; and Imogen was _still_ screaming.

She was starting to understand why parents of babies with colic swore that although their babies grew out of it, _they_ remained with deep psychological scars which sent them scurrying for the nearest exist every time they heard a baby cry.

Suddenly the long staircase in front of her seemed insurmountable and all she wanted to do was disappear into the night.

* * *

Having determined that the tiles were set in adhesive, Gibbs knew they were going to fight him every step of the way. He considered using a cold chisel to break the tileup, and then decided he didn't want to risk damage to the adjacent tiles and reached for the carbide drill instead.

* * *

Imogen stopped crying abruptly - and then started again - but the lull was enough for Jen to hear the sound of something whirring upstairs. Intrigued, she scooped Imogen out of her car seat and walked upstairs slowly. Grateful that her father was here, because he would take the baby off her hands for a while and let her get some kind of rest.

Gibbs had finished drilling a series of holes in tile and was using a chisel to pry the rest of the tile out, when a baby's screams echoed in the nursery.

"Dad?" Jen popped her head round the bathroom door.

They stared at each other in silence for a long moment.

"Found a small leak in your bathroom," Gibbs said after a while - as though that explained why he was standing with his clothes and shoes on in her shower. "Bigger job than I thought."

But Jenny wasn't staring at him anymore. She was staring at the baby.

Imogen had stopped screaming at the sound of Gibbs' voice and her eyes were darting about wildly. When he didn't say anything else she started screaming again, and Jenny felt her eyes well up with tears. The harder she tried to contain them the more intent they seemed on escaping and it took all of her willpower not to break down and embarass herself completely.

"Got a vacuum?"

Jethro's question was so unexpected that it stumped her.

"For the dust in the bath?" she asked as soon as she could wrap her head around the question. Conscious only that the baby had momentarily stopped crying again.

"For the baby."

"For the baby?" She wondered briefly if post-natal depression prompted hallucinations – because why else would Jethro be fixing her bathroom and talking to her about vacuum cleaners?

"White noise, Jen," he said as put the tools aside, his instincts kicking in as he took Imogen from her. "It'll put her to sleep."

He placed her lying face down with her tummy on his forearm and her head near his elbow.

"Football hold," he explained as he created pressure on her tummy by rubbing her sacrum with his free hand. "Where's the vacuum? Jen .. the vacuum .." he insisted when there was no response.

"Spare room," she said absently.

The baby had already calmed down considerably, but the situation was entirely too surreal.

"Uh-huh."

She was still standing in the doorway like a pillar of salt when he returned, and made no move to take the baby back; too mesmerised by Jethro plugging in the vacuum and rubbing Imogen's back, and the sight of her tiny body going limp as sleep claimed her.

Gibbs placed the infant gently in her new crib and left the door ajar as he ushered Jen gently out of the room.

"I think she hates me," Jen said in a small voice. Suddenly on the verge of tears again.

God, she hated being hormonal. This was infinitely worse than pregnancy hormones, she decided.

"She doesn't hate you. It's colic. It'll pass." He didn't have the heart to tell her that it could take several months. Or that there were plenty of nights from hell in her immediate future.

Silence fell; an awkward silence filled with questions which she knew she had to ask.

"Did you do all this?" she asked, nodding at the door.

"Yeah."

She reached for his hand on the landing and felt a merciless surge of emotion sweep through her as he gave her hand a small squeeze in return. It opened the floodgates, and her fingers curled around the side of his red hooded sweater as she dropped her head against his chest.

"Thank you," she said when she could look him in the eye without falling apart.

"Get some sleep while you can, Jen. I'll come by tomorrow night and do some more work on the bathroom."

"It's Christmas eve, Jethro," she said incredulously. "Don't you have somewhere you need to be?"

"You goin' anywhere?"

She surprised herself by laughing.

"No."

"Jethro ..." she said as they reached the bottom of the stairs and she stood looking at him beside the front door. "How long is this going take?"

"Could take a while," he said with a smirk.

Jen smiled.

"Good."

* * *

**Author's note:**

Technically this story could end here, but somehow it feels like it needs a kiss or something. A bit of fluff, as it were. Plus it _is_ Christmas .. so I'll write one more chapter and then it will be officially done.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Shepard Residence**_

_**7am on December 25th**_

The first two things Jenny became aware of were that she was very warm and that her head was throbbing. Followed by the sensation that something was wrong. It took her a moment to realise where she was and that Imogen was nowhere near.

She almost tripped in the blanket in her hurry to get off the sofa, as the events of the night before came flooding back.

Jethro picking the lock when she didn't answer the door. Coming upstairs to find her sobbing on the bedroom floor; the vacuum cleaner whirring uselessly in the background, and Imogen screaming at the top of her lungs. But he hadn't said a word. Had merely helped her up and made her lie down, picked up the baby, turned off the lights, and left the room. She remembered lying there thinking that she was the world's worst mother for letting a stranger take over - until finally she'd cried herself to sleep.

At some point she'd woken up to the sound of light tapping, and had padded down the hall to the baby's room. Imogen had been fast asleep in her carrier. Strategically placed where Jethro could keep an eye on her as he worked.

They'd gone downstairs and reheated the food Jethro had brought, and she'd been mortified to realise that she hadn't had the mental space to throw something edible together – even if she'd been expecting him.

Take out had never tasted so good though.

She'd pulled her contribution out of the pantry. A bottle of champagne a cousin had sent as a gift when Imogen had been born. Breastfeeding had been an unmitigated disaster; and she'd been advised to let it go and enjoy her child, rather than obsess or feel guilty.

Consequently there'd been no reason not to have a glass. Only one glass had become two, and then three.

Jethro had watched in amusement as the drink had gone straight to her head, and she vaguely remembered shifting to the sofa at some stage. They'd watched the lights on the Christmas tree twinkle as they made small talk, and she blushed thinking about what she thought she might have said to him under the influence. She was pretty sure she'd commented about his eyes – if not various other parts of him as well.

That part was a bit of a blur.

She knew she hadn't kissed him – although she did remember wanting to a few times. She had no doubt that he hadn't left; that he was upstairs working in the bathroom. But she knew she needed coffee before she braved the morning – and him.

He could probably do with a coffee himself, she decided as she headed for the kitchen.

* * *

Gibbs inhaled the scent of Imogen's fuzzy hair and allowed himself the bittersweetness of remembering Kelly's early days. He was so lost in the feelings evoked by the tiny body pressed against his chest, that when he opened his eyes to acknowledge the presence in the doorway he thought he was seeing Shannon.

The flicker of pain and loss when he opened his eyes and looked at her almost made Jenny reel – and although it was gone in a heartbeat, she couldn't help but wonder just how defined Jethro was by his loss. As she'd been making coffee she'd caught herself fantasising about him. About them. All three of them. But looking at him now she wondered how much this was hurting him. She had no doubt who he had been thinking about, and not for the first time since her father had told her about his family, she felt deep sorrow for him.

"She's awake." He stood from the rocking chair and handed the baby over. Placing the blanket that had been covering both of them on top of the dresser as he reached inside it to find something for the baby to wear.

"Did she sleep through the night?"

"Pretty much." He started to button up his shirt.

"Hey .." Jen cooed as she held the baby supine and nuzzled her cheek. Her voice took on a hint of maternal pride. "I think she's smiling, Jethro."

"_Jethro, she's smiling."_ Shannon's voice filled his head.

"I'm sorry." Jenny's voice brought him back to the present.

He watched the emotions run across her face, and knew without a doubt that she knew.

About Shannon.

About Kelly.

About everything.

He hadn't queried Abby or Ducky about the way things had worked out - even though he'd seen their hand in the matter - but hazarding a guess he'd say her father had used his contacts to find out what his background was. It would explain his thoughtful observation of him, and he couldn't say he blamed him. Between his loss and the reputation he knew he had, he was hardly a prize. But part of him was glad she knew. Was glad he wouldn't have to explain.

Or dissemble.

But before he could think of anything to say in response, she had carried on.

"Coffee's getting cold," she said gently as she nodded towards the cup she'd placed on the changing table and set about dressing the baby.

Silence stretched between them as he nodded his thanks and reached for the cup. Silence he knew was pivotal. If he was going to make his excuses and leave, now would be the time. But there was nothing waiting for him at home, and he'd declined Ducky's invitation to lunch. He almost smiled when his brain additionally supplied that in less than twelve hours it was likely colic would rear its ugly head again.

"Would you like some breakfast?" He wondered for a moment if she'd seen the crisis in him – but either way it didn't matter. She had effectively ended the dilemma.

He was staying.

* * *

Imogen stared glassily at him as he walked around the kitchen giving her a bottle, but he found he only had eyes for her mother. When he'd left her asleep on the sofa the night before she'd looked worn out. He'd contemplated carrying her upstairs and depositing her on her bed, but had stopped short of that kind of familiarity. Looking at her now he wondered if she'd woken up with a stiff neck.

"Neck hurting?" he asked as he watched her rub the knobby part of her spine.

"The label's irritating my skin," she said as she rummaged in a drawer until she found a pair of scissors. "Would you mind ..." She held them out.

"Yeah .. hang on."

Jethro placed Imogen against his shoulder and rubbed her back firmly until she burped. Then he strapped her into the carrier sitting on top of the table, and turned back towards Jen.

The cold steel against her skin made her suck in a tiny breath, but the goosebumps were a reaction to the callused fingertips grazing the irritated spot.

"Cold?"

The smugness in his tone gave away the pleasure he was taking in the situation - but two could play that game, she decided.

"A little."

"Better?" he asked as she rubbed her arms.

She'd been expecting a vigorous rub. Not a gentle one, and most certainly not a criss-cross gentle one. She realised with a start that the desire to kiss him was back; and if the mouth pressed to the back of her head was any indication, she wasn't the only one enjoying the proximity. Encouraged, she turned slowly. Wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him tight. Exhaling softly as his arms wound around her shoulders and held her in place.

The silence became deafening as the space between them diminished, and the very solid sound of Jethro's heartbeat reverberated through her senses. The words the needed to be said rattled around in her brain, demanding to be spoken before they got any closer on a physical level. And she knew where the closeness was heading – because if he didn't kiss her, she was going to kiss him.

But first she had to be sure.

"I don't want you in our lives if it's going to hurt you, Jethro" she whispered.

So softly that he almost didn't hear her. But he did, and the weight of her words hit home with savagery he hadn't been expecting. Even if he'd had a clue what to say to that, she didn't seem willing to wait for a comeback.

"If you're here because because of the decisions you made after Imogen's birth, because you feel guilty, or because you feel you need to fix th-"

She trailed off when his arms dropped to the side.

"You have nothing to feel guilty about, Jethro. You did what was best for me – and I thank you for that."

He wasn't ready for this kind of conversation, he realised. Mostly because he'd never really thought of it in those terms - and it stunned him that the spin she put on the situation was probably as close to the truth as one could get. Something which, in itself, made him feel like crap. Even as it annoyed him that his attraction to her could be interpreted in this way and be fractionally right.

"If that's why you came and that's why you stayed then you need to leave. Before things get complicated."

Despite the fact that he knew she was giving him an out, the words stung – and felt like a dismissal. And it must have been written all over his face, because the next thing he knew her palm was flush against his cheek and she was speaking again.

"Jethro.."

He shook his head minutely and pressed his mouth to her palm. Covering it swiftly with his own and keeping it pressed against his cheek. He didn't have the words to express himself, he realised.

But he did have the perfect means.

"I'll be back," he said as he pushed another kiss to her palm and then walked away.

Out of the kitchen, and out of the house.

Jen wrapped her arms around herself. Repeating over and over to herself that it was better this way for all concerned. She was so engrossed with the minutiae of brewing coffee that she didn't realise he'd come back until she turned around cradling a cup and found him in her personal space.

"Trade ya," he said as he relieved her of it and placed a package in her hands.

As he took in the look on her face he was suddenly very happy that he'd asked Abby to wrap it for him. Outlandish taste combined with festive colours had made for a spectacular gift wrap and from the way Jenny's eyes had lit up, she thought so too.

He wouldn't have thought it possible, but her eyes grew wider still when she pulled out the wooden rattle.

"It's beautiful," she said as her fingers caressed the strips of wood encasing five jingle belss. "Where did you find this?"

"Made it."

"You … made it? For Imogen?"

"Yeah."

The tears spilled over mercilessly, and her hand rose to his cheek again.

"Thank you, Jethro."

He watched as her lips closed upon his until they touched; his eyes closing before hers as they explored the sensations of their first kiss. Slow and curious, it was a lot more tender then he was expecting. She took his top lip between hers, pinching softly; and as she did, her right hand sought out the back of his neck. For some reason he felt vulnerable, and in the maelstrom of emotions conspiring within him, he found himself wondering whether it was because her left hand had found a place over his heart.

She was making him feel things he couldn't remember feeling in years. Clearly he'd forgotten what it was like to kiss a woman, he thought as his right hand moved down to rest on her hip. He pulled her closer to him. Conscious of her smell all around him. Feeling her heartbeat. Experiencing her warmth. Hearing the soft clicks of her jaw as her mouth undulated against his in slow deliberate movements. Her mouth opened wide enough to be an invitation. The movement was slow at first; offering them a mere taste of the other with a small lick from the tip of their tongues. But at his instigation the pressure deepened. Until their mouths opened completely and the consequent circular movement became their universe.

The chemistry between them was good. So good that he was having a hard time remembering that she'd just had a baby and probably wasn't up to much.

But that only lasted until said baby started to cry and brought them back to reality.

He stood pressed up against Jen's back as she leaned over the carrier and scooped Imogen out.

"Look ..." she said as she moved the rattle from side to side – even though she knew the baby couldn't comprehend.

Holding her tight, she leaned back against Jethro's chest. Enjoying the security of his strong arms around them both until she finally turned to face him.

"You know ..." Jen whispered conspiratorially to Imogen as he placed a kiss to the baby's head and then to hers. "I think we may have to keep him."

* * *

**Author's note:**

And there you have it. I finished it *stares at screen in utter shock* even if it took me over a year to do so. This was the hardest story I have ever had to write because I was totally out of my element and struggling all the way through.

**Merry Christmas** everyone – and thanks for sticking with me on this!

Hope you enjoyed it.


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